


The Giant Stone Ring

by Cassie Morgan (BADFalcon)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Episode: s03e04 Legacy, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 22:36:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4455086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BADFalcon/pseuds/Cassie%20Morgan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cameron's efforts to warn people about the Ori threat are misunderstood by a well-meaning Doctor whose efforts to treat his perceived illness land him in a whole new world of trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Giant Stone Ring

"I'm sorry Dr Carter," Dr Harley shook her head, dark braids falling over her shoulders and Sam's heart sank. "But that's simply not possible. My patient, your... uh... Colonel?" She stumbled over the unfamiliar title and Sam nodded. "Colonel Mitchell is a very sick man and it is imperative he remain here under my care." 

"When you say sick," Daniel asked carefully, "what exactly do you mean?"

"He's suffering from acute delusions." Dr Harley pushed her glasses up against the bridge of her nose and glanced down at the clipboard in her hands. "He seems under the impression he is able to.. to... ah step through a giant stone ring and travel to another planet. Which, if you'll excuse my phrasing, that's just crazy talk," she laughed nervously. "While you were touring our scientific labs, Colonel Mitchell was witnessed telling multiple people that you had all travelled from another world this way. He was scaring them with talk of evil gods and monsters. I'm very concerned for his wellbeing." 

Sam looked at Daniel, their eyes meeting, and swore under her breath at the panic rising in Daniel's eyes. He was pale and she watched him take a deep, shaky, breath. She turned back to the doctor. 

"Do not be concerned," Dr Harley continued. "He's receiving our best possible care."

"I'm sure he is," Sam smiled diplomatically - she hoped - and projected calm in her voice. "And I mean no disrespect to your medical standards but we are due to travel home tomorrow. Perhaps it would be better for Cameron, for Colonel Mitchell to be allowed to return with us. I will ensure he continues to receive treatment and I believe it would be better for him to recuperate in familiar surroundings."

Doctor Harley nodded and Sam felt a flare of hope in her belly. "Yes, I can understand why you would think this," she said and Sam sighed at the tone in the Doctor's voice. She could feel the tension radiating off Daniel and looked at him but he avoided her gaze, stepping away when she nudged him. "Let me ask you this Dr Carter, Dr Jackson - if Colonel Mitchell had suffered a gunshot wound or had a broken leg, would you insist on taking him home for treatment or would he remain here until he's stable." Sam winced and screwed her nose up, but nodded. "I'm sorry, Dr Carter, but Colonel Mitchell is in no fit state to travel. Come, let me take you to him, both of you, and you can see for yourself how unwell he is."

Sam and Daniel fell in behind Dr Harley. "She's right," Sam whispered to Daniel. "I hate to admit it, but she's right."

"Except for how he's not delusional!" Daniel hissed back. 

"Well, yes," Sam agreed. "But we can't tell her that or we'll end up in here too." 

Daniel nodded sharply and wrapped his arms around himself. "I know." 

Sam reached out for him again. "Daniel.." She shook her head, steeling herself as they came to a stop outside the door. She inhaled deeply through her nose and squeezed Daniel's hand. Doctor Harley was speaking but Sam couldn't hear her, the words buzzing around in her ears. Straightening her shoulders, she grabbed he handle and pushed the door open. "Oh, Cameron..." 

Cameron was flat on his back on a bed slightly larger than a single. He was wearing a pale blue outfit that made Sam think of hospital scrubs, and a slightly hysterical voice at the back of her head noted that at least he had pants on. There were leather restraints around his wrists and ankles, cuffing him to the bed and there was a ring of fingerprint bruises around one bicep. 

"Cam?" She stepped closer, shaking her head slowly, reaching a hand out to brush through his sticking up hair. A wobbly smile tugged at her lips when Cam opened his eyes but the smile soon faded when she realised how unfocused his gaze was. Sam swore under her breath. "Cameron, can you hear me?"

He slurred her name and groaned, low and long before thrashing on the bed, fighting against the restraints, bucking and tugging, his moan sounding almost animalistic. Sam found herself taking an unconscious step back and Dr Harley rushed forward, hypodermic needle in had, quickly injecting it into Cameron's arm. He relaxed almost instantly, slumping back down on the bed, his eyes sliding closed. 

Her hands clenching into fists, Sam took a deep breath and exhaled before turning on the doctor. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could get a word out, a choked off sob came from Daniel. Sam turned to look at him and her heart sank at the expression of panic and misery on his pale face. "Daniel?" But Daniel just shook his head, turned on his heel and ran, the sound of doors slamming following in his wake. A bubble of humourless laughter escaped Sam; so much for a nice simple recon. She turned back to the doctor, her shoulders set and her jaw hard. "What the hell have you given him?" 

"Nothing more than a mild sedative," Dr Harley replied calmly. "He's a very violent man, a danger to both himself and everyone else here. Until the medication we're giving him starts to have an effect on his behaviour, I have no choice but to keep him sedated."

"And did it ever occur to you that it's the drugs you're giving him that are making him violent?" Sam snapped. She ran a hand through her hair. What on Earth was the doctor thinking, giving him medication that she had no idea how he might react to. Part of her wanted to scream and rail but she didn't have time, she had to.. to.. she needed to see if Cameron was OK, she needed to find Daniel, she had to... Shaking her head, she turned her back on the doctor and moved back to Cameron. She checked his pulse with two fingers, relieved to find it regular, if a little sluggish. Cameron stirred under her hand, dazed eyes blinking open. "Hey," Sam smiled and squeezed his hand gently. "I'm gonna get you out of here," she promised. "But first I have to go check on Daniel, and get Vala and Teal'c. I'll be back as soon as I can." She squeezed   
his hand again and reluctantly turned and walked out of the room. 

She found Daniel just outside the building, sitting on a patch of grass in the sun though she doubted he even knew where he was. He was huddled in on himself, knees drawn to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs, gaze fixed on the horizon. Easing herself to the ground next to him she placed a reassuring hand on his back, frowning when she realised he was trembling. "Easy, Daniel," she murmured but there was no reply. She found herself wishing General O'Neill was there as she radioed Teal'c and Vala. "Get back to the courtyard outside the administration building as quickly as you can," she told them. "We have a... situation." She clicked the radio off when Teal'c replied in the affirmative and turned her attention back to Daniel. 

"I'm sorry." Daniel spoke haltingly, still trembling and not looking at her. "Sam, I..." He trailed off and shook his head. "I couldn't... Cam... truth... I remember.. Ma'chello and... I know..." 

Sam nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. "I know. Daniel, I know. And I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. But we're not... I'm not gonna make the same mistake again. We're gonna get Cam out of there." 

Daniel turned his head to the side and looked at Sam. "You should..." he gestured to the building behind them. "In there. With him." 

"And leave you out here on your own? When you're having flashbacks to... to... Not gonna happen, Daniel." She ran her hand up and down his back, relief crashing through her when she felt him starting to relax. "I can't _do_ anything for Cam right now, but I have a plan. We just need to wait for Teal'c and Vala to get here and we'll get him out. We're not leaving him behind."

"Well here I am!" Vala dropped down onto the ground in front of Sam and Daniel. Her brow creased when she looked between them, frown deepening the longer she looked at Daniel. "Daniel?" She reached out for him and he jerked back, pulling away from her. He rose unsteadily to his feet and walked across the courtyard, arms wrapped around himself. "What's wrong, Daniel?" Vala asked. She stood but before she could take a step towards Daniel, Sam placed a hand on her arm. 

"Leave him be, Vala. It's a long story," Sam continued when Vala started to protest. "This isn't the time or place, and it's not up to me to tell you about it. Daniel will be fine. Right now, we have a bigger problem and I need your help."

"You mentioned a situation, ColonelCarter?" 

"Yeah." Sam stood up and brushed her hands off on her thighs. "Yeah." Sam stood up and brushed her hands off on her thighs. Nodding, she explained the situation and the doctor's insistence that Cameron stay to be treated, and her own concern that whatever they were giving him could actually do damage to his brain.

"Huh." Vala bit her thumbnail. "And you want me to break Cameron out of there?" 

"Do you think you can?" 

"Of course. I'll be back in 10 minutes!" Vala grinned and skipped towards the hospital. 

"Do you believe ValaMalDoran will be able to free ColonelMitchell?" Teal'c asked. 

Sam bit her lip. "I hope so. If she doesn't... we can't leave him here, we can't leave him behind." She looked over at Daniel and shivered. "Not again." 

Teal'c inclined his head. "DanielJackson is remembering his own time in such an insitution."

"And I have no idea what to say to him. We left him there, Teal'c. We can't, we won't leave Cam." She shook herself and looked down at her watch, then back at the hospital doors. Indecision raced through her and she started pacing, coming to a stop at the edge of the fountain. She leaned forward on the thigh-high wall, bracing her hands on the cool stone and stared into the falling water. Straightening back up, she turned to find Daniel and Teal'c watching her curiously. She flashed them what she hope was a reassuring smile. "Teal'c, Daniel... get back to the 'gate and be ready to dial us home. I'm going to wait here for Vala and Cam." 

Daniel squeezed Sam's hand as he walked past, giving her a weak smile. "Cam'll be ok," he said softly and she returned the smile before sitting down on the edge of the wall. She looked down at her watch again then back to the door, jumping to her feet when she saw Vala, in a white coat, pushing a wheelchair coming towards her. At speed. With doctors pursuing her. Sam cursed under her breath and reached for the zat in its holster. She radioed Daniel, telling him to dial and to expect company 

"Now might be a really good time to start running to the 'gate!" Vala called, pigtails flying out behind her. They raced to the Stargate, Vala and Cameron ahead of Sam through the wormhole followed by Teal'c and Daniel. Sam took one last look over her shoulder as she stepped through, half-wishing she could see the look on the doctor's face as she disappeared through the giant stone ring.


End file.
